Onlooker sparks outrage with photos of $380 million gigayacht in US port: 'What a vile display'

Large private yachts often drive intense online reactions because they reveal the scale of wealth involved in owning and operating them. 

A Reddit post featuring drone footage of the 94-meter gigayacht Viva is drawing renewed attention for that reason.

The images, showing the yacht's wide decks and its helipad, were shared on r/portlandme by a user who wrote: "Here are some sneaky drone shots I took today of the gigayacht 'Viva' in the Yacht port in Portland today."

The Viva was built in 2021 by Feadship, a Dutch shipyard known for custom yachts, according to the Billionaires Club. Its estimated value is $380 million, and its annual running costs are about $18 million.

The vessel measures 94 meters in length, accommodates up to 14 guests, and is operated by a crew of 18. It features design work by Azure Yacht Design and interior designer Peter Marino. The Billionaires Club said that its current owner is U.S. hedge fund owner Ken Griffin.

Gigayachts have many environmental and social implications.

They demand enormous amounts of fuel and continuous power, which leads to high emissions during travel and while docked. These impacts add pressure to coastal communities that already face air-quality concerns, rising temperatures, and economic strain. 

In the United States, more than 35.9 million people lived below the official poverty line in 2024. That's equivalent to 10.6 percent of the population. Many families face steep housing and food costs even as incomes remain largely stagnant.

One user highlighted that tension, writing: "And here we are slap-fighting each other on this sub over housing costs and the homeless situation. And then this dude docks this.. stay classy America." 

Another person wrote: "It's really disgusting." 

A third called it "a vile display."

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